Dynamometer



' June 23, 1936. KEMLER 2,045,474

DYNAMOMETER Filed Aug. 9, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented June 23, 1 936 PATENT OFFlCE DYNAMOMETER Emory N. Kemler, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Gull Research & Development Company, Wilmington, Del a corporation of Delaware Application August 9, 1934, Serial No. 139,176 1 9 Claims. (01. 265-1) This invention relates to dynamometers and From such measurementsvaluable inferences canit comprises apparatus for measuring ,and recording strains, loads, or pressures in mechanism at all operating positions of the mechanism, the apparatus comprising electrical means adapted to be applied to an element of the mechanism under strainand to respond to variations in strains, loads or pressures therein, a galvanometer oscillograph element in circuit with the strain responsive means and adapted to produce an indication in one direction proportional to the strain, and means adapted to be connected to and to move with a moving part of the mechanism and adapted to cause a displacement of the oscillograph indicator in another direction proportional to the movement of the mechanism, so as to produce a compound indication of strain and movement; all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

Reciprocating pumps usually comprise a cylinder and a piston working therein reciprocated by a suitable mechanical linkage. In the case of deep-well pumps the cylinder and piston .are placed far down the well and the piston is reciprocated from the surface by means of a long string of sucker rods and a polished rod. connected to a walking beam or crank-shaft operated by an engine. The polished rod is a member larger than the sucker rods and is connected to the walking beam at its upper end by a common bearing. The lower portion is guided in a,

stufling box. I

In analyzing the "operation of pumps under working conditions it is desirable to make continuous measurements oi! the varying strain or load in some part 01' the mechanism, e. g. the polished rod or the walking beam, and simultaneously to measure the movement of the same part of the mechanism or of some corresponding part having .a similar movement.

In the customary way of making such measurements, a dynamometer of somesort is inserted in the rod string, The dynamometer usually makes use of either a spring device, which changes its extension under "varying'strains inv the rod; or a fluid pressure device, utilizing a flexible diaphragm for example, in which the pressure varies-according to strains inthe rod. In either case the dynamometer indicates or records the strain by means oia mechanical indicating device such as a linkage and pen, or

a fluid pressure gauge. At the same time an indication oi the movement 01' the rod is secured through another mechanical linkage of some sort. Sometimes the two .indications are combined.

' In pump dynamometers, attempts have been be drawn as to the eiiiciency and other characteristics of the pumpl' The mechanical indicator apparatus described, however, has inherent disadvantages, which hln- 5 der its use and which seriously detract from the value of. measurements obtained therewith. There are practical disadvantages": the installation or the dynamometric device requires severing of the rod string. If the sucker rod position 10 is changed by the installation of the spring or fluid pressure device, the characteristics of the, pump as recorded by the dynamometer will be different from before the installation. and the dynamometer record will not give atrue picture 15 of the operation of the pump under working conditions. Mechanical dynamomete'rs require the .services of several men in the field. But the most serious defect is that mechanical strain respon-' sive devices donot give an accurate record 01!.20 the strain. This is because operation of the device it self changes the characteristics of the pump. Springs and pressure devices act as vibration dampers; they absorb or damp out any 'high frequency vibrations present and prevent 25 tical of these proposals involves the use of an 40,

electric strainyresponsive device of some sort. such as a carbon-pile resistance unit or a magnetic strain gauge clamped on the rod and electrically connected to a recording camera oscillograph: an electrical device adapted to respond 45 to the minute current changes produced by the strain device and to give" an indication propor-- tional thereto, in the i'ormof a spot oi. light mov j ing over a rotating drum; carrying a photographic illm. The record produced by such apparatus is- 5.0 31 periodic curve: a wavy line runningalong the This system has the advantage that the strain response indications are accurate. Electric strain responsive devices, as distmguished l'rom cbil 'isapoliahedrod-oi awell pump,-to whichthe recorded with this type oi apparatus. In order to get a diagram orchart irom which power can be measured graphically, it is necessary that the osciilograph record be measured and replotted. This is a'time-consuming operation. It

is almost impossible to measure and replot the. high irequency variations any useiul degree v oi accuracy.

Another disadvantage is that the oscillograph is a costly and complicated'piece of mechanism. the use oi which presents difliculties in the iield. Trained technicians are reiiiiired to make measurements and to put the results in useful iorm.

. According to the present invention I proyide an improved dynamometric apparatus adapted to. respond electrically to strain or load, and to simultaneously respond to movement in .the mechanism under test. -.The apparatus produces directly a compound record oi strain and displacement in the iorm oi a closed diagram.

' thereby eliminating the replotting operation nee essary in oscillographmethods. The apparatus gives accurate records oi strain versus displacement, and is simple and practical. The expensive oscillograph camera is doneaway with.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown, more or less diagrammatically, a speciiic embodiment oi the invention. In this showing.

' Pig. 1 is an isometric diagrammatic view oithe' apparatus applied to a pump rod in operation,

- 1"ig.2is aplanviewoi the osoillograph ele ment and its mountings.

, Fig. 8' is a plan view partly in elevation, partly in section, oi the recording part oi the appa Hg. 4 is av ew in elevation oi element.

In the 1 ilgures, the apparatus is shown as comprising an oscillograph element in a case I mounted by means oi a bracket 2 on a geared turntable I adapted-to be rotated horizontally-- by a-worm I moimted on a shait I. The turntable isrotatably mounted on a stationary base I positionedin a light-tight box I; Bhait I is mounted in bearings I supported on the base oi the turntable. A'light coil spring I connecting theshaitandtheboxissdaptedtoexertarestoringtorqueontheshaitinonedirection.

shait I extends through the box, as shown,

. and the outer end carries a pulley II. Element ii apparatus'is shown applied ior the-purpose 8i analysing the operation oi the pump. Pulley I is operatively connected to the polished rod by meansoi aiiexibleehainortapeindicated dia- -grammatica'llyat lI,shownasconn'ectedtothe polished rod by a detachable clamping device II tached to the rod. Reciprocating motion oi,

It the polished rod is thus transmitted throughthe chainor tape member-under test. Advantageously the linkage piles I4 and II- mounted in a irame "as posed poles II and IItoshaitIandservestoescil-- late the turntable cyclically. in a horisontal Connections to the vided as shown, ior

oi the part oi the. mechanism under test, to which it is connected; that is, a given displacement of the moving part under test should produce a corresponding displacement in the turntable in all positions oi movement oi each. The specific 6 means described are oi .this type.

A lamp Ilril mounted in the box I as'shown and is enclosed by a cover I2 provided with a small opening or slit II iacing the oscillograph. element. At the end oi the box opposite to the 10 turntable is an opening- 24 adapted to receive a detachable irame II having a ground glass or celluloid screen II ior visual observation, and'when the irame is removed, to receive an ordinary plate .or him holder (not shown) ior making photographic records. Ahinged cover I! is provided ior the irame. The arrangement is such that light irom the lamp falls on the oscillograph element (to be described) and is reflected thereirom on the screen or plate holder.

The oscillograph element is connected by wires Ii and II to an electric strain-recording device II. shown as comprising two carbon resistance shown. One end 'oithe irameis integrally fixed to a c- 25 clamp I'I removably clamped at one point on the polished rod, as shown, by a set-screw'II. The other'end oi irame II carries a flexible lever tongue II removably clamped tothe polished rod by a C-clampli, as shcwnn A flexible tongue 42 connects irame II and member-II. Tongue 42 bears on the end of both tance piles, as shown. Stresses in the rod'are reflected in a microscopic elongation or compression oi the portion oi the rod between the two clamps, which ,in'turn aiiects the pressure on the resistance pilesand, in'turn, the\ current passing through the piles. Resistance changes in the resistance piles are communi to theoscillograph galvanometer through a m ed Wheatstone bridge arrangement comprising two 'iixed resistances II and 44 connected to the resistance piles through wires II and, and to one side oi the galvanomem through wire II, as shown. The we resista'nce piles are also interconnected through a variable resist'ance II, as shown, and to the. other side oi the galvanometer through wire II. A battery II is connected across resistances II and 44 through a variable resistance 50, as shown. In operation, a change in relative pressures on the carbon piles II and II throws the bridge out oi electrical balance, causing a current to flow through the galvanometer: this current being proport nal to the pressure .diil'erential between the two resistance piles. The strain gauge shown.

is merely by way oi example. .Other strain-responsive devices. such as mnetic gauges, may be used. In some cases it is advantageous to provide an ampliiier between the strain gauge and the galvanometer, but this is usually unnecessary. The galvanometer element is shown in detail Fig. 4. The instrument comprises a magnet II mounted in the case landhaving two op- II-having-a small clearance space between. 'A string galvanometer element 65 is mounted between the poles: this comprises a looporcoiloiwir'e I'I supportedinthe caseby a iixedsuppo'rtII and by a rotatable supporting rod II irictionally mounted in the casing i and adapted to be twisted to diiierent' set. angular positions-by a knob II, ior adjustment loop are. made through the two screws." and I! being provided as shown.- A damping vane II is pro undesirable sive connection with the engine cylinder. The

brations of the loop. The loop carries a minute mirror 84. Upon passage'of'current through the loop. the wire loop in the magnetic field tends to twist,- tipping the mirror in one direction or the other depending "upon the direction of the current. The twisting of the mirror causes a shifting of the beam of light directed upon the mirror; a shift in the vertical plane, in the embodiment shown. The case I has a slit" opposite the mirror and a small lens to over the slit, as shown. The moving parts of thegalvanometer. are so minute that there is practically no inertial lag in the indication. Moreover, the motion of the parts (i. e. twisting of the loop) I is accompanied by no friction, while the light beam pointer is of course frictionless and mass- Accordingly, the galvanometer and light.

less.

. beam indicator follow the response from the strain gauge practically instantaneously and with high accuracy.

The case I containing the oscillograph element is shown as adiustably attached to the bracket 2 by means of screw and nut 65, 68. -The bracket is mounted on the horizontal table 3,'which is rotatably mounted on a-shaft 81 carried in ball bearings 69. The shaft 5 is also mounted in ball bearings. In Fig. 2, coil spring 9 is shown as fixed to the box by a screw 15 and to the shai't by a pin I6. The coil spring-being light, and the mounting of the turntable and worm being substantially frictionless, the load put upon the mechanism under test is quite negligible.

The operation of the device is as follows: The pump. being in operation-varying strains in the pump rod in different parts of the stroke are indicated by angular twisting of the oscillograph mirror in the vertical plane. This causes a spot (I of light from the lamp 2!! to move up and down on the screen 26. At the same time, the oscillograph element is cyclically oscillated laterally by the turntable which is connectedtothe reciprocat-- ing pump rod. This causes the spot of light on the screen to move back and forth horizontally.-

, The combined movement results in the tracing on the screen of a closed diagram shown as at 18. This diagram shows strain or load as ordinates, and displacement as abscissae. Power can be found directly bygraphical methods, power being proportional to the area under the curve. Replotting, which is necessary in the usual oscillograph method, is done away with. The ex- -ing machine; In some cases it is advantageous pensive oscillograph camera with its rotary drum and other complicated parts is not employed.

The apparatus isapplicable to engines as well as pumps. eiiects. oi" forces, pressures and loads of all kinds which occur in mechanism. The apparatus may be used in conjunction with testing machines, for drawing stress-strain diagrams; the

electrical strain responsive mechanism in thiscase being applied to the piece under test and the turntable connected to a moving partoi' the testto provide for diagramming strains in diiferent parts of'the me'chanismunder test, at the same time. For example, two ,oscillograph elements may be mounted on the bracket of the turntable, and the two oscillograph elements connected to strain responsive devices in the polished rod and to the walking beam of a pumping rig, and strains simultaneously recorded. In engine analysis, where the strain toibe recorded is pressure in a fluid rather than in a metal member, the

electric strain responsive device may be enclosed in a pressure tube in hydraulic pressure-respon-.

"Strain" as used herein includes the apparatus then records pressure versus displacement. The apparatus may be used as a recording strain gauge by providing automatic mechanism for reciprocating or oscillating the tum- .table during recording of strain. This arrangement records strain in a closed diagram. .-WhatI claim is:

1. Apparatus for measuring strains in mechation of the mechanism, electrically operable means electrically connected to the strain responsive means and producing an indication in one direction proportional to the response of said strain-responsive means and means for simultaneously moving said indicating means in another direction, in a cyclically oscillating movement, proportionally to motion of a part of themechanism so as to produce a compound indication proportional both to strain and to motion in I the form of a closed diagram.

2. Apparatus for measuring strains in mechanism at all operating positions of'themechanism during operation and to produce a compound indication of strain and motion, said apparatus comprising means applied tov an element of the mechanism under strain and producing an elec-' trical response according toyariations in strain without substantially aflecting the operation of the mechanism, an oscillograph galvanometer element adapted to produce an indication in one direction proportional ,to the response of said strain responsive means and means for 'simultaneously moving said galvanometer element in another direction proportional to motion of a part of the mechanism so as to produce a compound indication proportional both to strain and to motion. g

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for moving the galvanometer element in the sec- .ond direction comprises a rotary table upon which said element is mounted and mechanical coupling means adapted to connect said table to a moving part of the mechanism.

4. Apparatus for measuring strains in mechanism at all operating positons oi the mechanism during operation and to produce a compound indication 'of strain and motion, said apparatus comprising an electrical strain gauge applied toan element of the mechanism under strain and producingan electrical response according to variations instrain without substantially aflecting the operation oi the mechanism, an oscillograph galvanometer element adapted to produce an indication in one direction proportional to the response of said straingauge, means for simultaneously moving the galvanometer element in :another direction proportional to motion. of a part of the mechanism so as. to produce a'compound indication proportional .bothito strain and to motion and means for recording the compound indicationphotographically. v 5. Apparatus for measuring strains in mechanism at all operating positions of the mechanism during operation and to producer. compound indication of strain and motion, -said apparatus comprising means applied to an element of the a mechanism under strain and producing an elec trical respome tows-riations in strain without substantially aflecting the operation of the mechanism, electrical indicating means connected to.

said strain responsive means and adapted to produce an indication intone direction proportional to strain, the. electrical indicating means being mounted for oscillatory movement in a direction diiierentfrom the direction oi indication, and

' mechanical means adapted to connect the indicating means with a moving part of the mechanism to oscillate the indicating means accordins to motion of the mechanism, to produce a compound indication proportional to both strain andv I motion and in the form of a closed curve.

6. Apparatus for measuring strains in mechanism at all operating positions or the mechanism during operation and to produce a compound indication -01 strain and motion, 'said apparatus comprising an electrical strain gauge applied to a part 0! the mechanism under strain and producing an electrical response to variations in strain without substantially aiiecting the operation of the mechanism, a galvanom'eter element connected to the strain gauge and adapted to produce an indication in one direction proportional to the response of the strain gauge, the galvanom- ,eter element being mounted for oscillation, me-

indication of strain and movement in the form of a closed curve.

7; Apparatus for measuring strains in mechae nlsm at all operating positions of the mechanism comprisingca strain gauge applied to an element oithe mechanism" under strain and producing an electrical response to variations in strain without substantially affecting the operation or the mech-' anism, a galvanometer element connected'to the g straingauge and giving an indication in one direction' proportional to the response of the strain gauge, the galvanometer element being mounted for rotation and including a mirror indicating means, a light source directing light on the mirror and thence on a screen as a moving spot and, mechanical coupling means connecting the galvanometer element with a moving part c! the mechanism so that the galvanometer element is fclosed curve defined by a moving spot oi'light,

of a curve defined by a moving spot of light on oscillated according to movement or the mechanism. so that a compound indication of strain and motion is produced on the screen in the form or a closed curve'outlined by the moving spot or light. 5 8. Apparatus (or measuring strains in mechanism at all operating positions or the mechanism v during operation and to produce a simultaneous indication of strain and motion in the term ot a said apparatus comprising means applied to an element of the mechanism under strain and producing an electrical response to rapid variations in strain without substantially affecting the operation of the mechanism, a source or light, elec- 15 trical means connected electrically with said strain responsive meansaior oscillating a beam of light from said source in one direction and to an extent proportional to said electrical strain respouse, and means for simultaneouslycausing oscillatory movement 0! said beam of light in another direc:

- tion diflerent from the first direction and pro-' portlonal to motion of a part of the mechanism,

tosecure a compound indication in the iorm of a closed diagram on the screen.

9. Apparatus tor measuring strains in mechanism and adapted to produce an accurate, compound indication 01 strain and motion in the form a screen. said apparatus comprising means applied to an element, of the mechanism under 'strain and producing an electrical response .to' I rapid variations in strain without substantially aiiecting the operation of. the mechanism. a 35 source or light and a screen, electrically operable means electrically connected tothe strain reduring operation andto produce a compound indication of strain and motion, said apparatu the first to secure a two dimensional curved diagram of strain versus movement. the curve being deiinedby the beam of light moving over the screen. 1 2 i EMORY N. KEMLER.

a screen intercepting said beam of light 20 

